Displaying items by tag: Daryl McCormack

TWISTERS

US, 2024, 117 minutes, Colour.

Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Harry Haddon-Paton, Sasha Lane, Darrell McCormack, David: Corenswet.

Directed by Isaac Lee Chung.

By a happy twist of fate, Twisters is an entertaining crowd-pleaser. Anyone who buys a ticket, keen to see tornadoes in action as well as the human efforts to chase and combat them, will find a multitude of twisters here. The special effects of the tornadoes themselves, the visuals of their destructive force, the ruins and aftermath, are quite spectacular. And the editing keeps the action running at a very brisk pace, often edge-of-the-seat adrenaline pumping.

1996, the original Twister was a holiday entertainment, much the expected theme, two experts, despite divorce proceedings, working together to chase the tornadoes. The director of that film, Jan de Bont, had not heard that there was to be this kind of sequel, making a comment that a sequel could only succeed if the tornadoes were bigger. The filmmakers this time have absolutely taken notice of that observation, not only are they bigger, there are many more of them.

But, the screenplay here places quite a lot of emphasis on the science – whether the audience understands the details of it or not. In fact, the film opens with a young enthusiast, Kate, Daisy Edgar-Jones, leading a team that hopes to release chemicals into the eye of the twister to dissipate its force. There are some scientific explanations. But, the experiment is a tragic failure, the deaths of several of the participants.

Then we go five years later. One of Kate’s former colleagues, Javi (Anthony Ramos) enlists her help with his experiments, placing tracking machines around the tornado in order to get a three-dimensional reading. Again, scientific explanations. By contrast, there is Tyler (a grinning Glen Powell more gung ho at first and he was in Top Gun Maverick), a so-called tornado wrangler, with his own team of scientists (who, In All clothes, do not look like it), and filming his exploits, taking tornado tourists out to witness the phenomena, and a British journalist joining. in

Obviously, there is going to be rivalry. And there is. However, there are some jaw-dropping sequences of the tornadoes and their force, extraordinary destruction and ruin with the challenge to Kate and Tyler and Javi as to whether they pursue their research or go to help people in distress. (And in the background there are themes of corporate exploitation of those whose homes of livelihoods have been destroyed.)

In fact, Kate retires from the chasing and goes home, her mother urging her to do more research, Tyler tracking her down and collaborating – after they go to rodeo, also a tornado victim. Already magazine articles are being headed “whirlwind romance”! At first it is a battle of the sexes, but very strong on equality between men and women, and then scientific collaboration. Actually, there are some sequences during the final credits when audiences are stampeding for the exits, which actually show further plot developments.

Twisters sets out to be an action-disaster holiday entertainment. It succeeds well.

1. The reality of tornadoes, twisters in the United States, the Southern States? The weather phenomena? The impact on towns and populations, on the countryside?
2. The 1996 film and its popularity? Continued films on twisters? This sequel, many more tornadoes, much more devastation, much more scientific speculation, tornado wrangling, tornado tourism, experiments to understand tornadoes, physics and chemistry?
3. The film in the disaster movie tradition? Action, adventure, characters, crises?
4. The opening, Kate and her team, the scientific background, their personalities and interactions, the dangers of the tornado, the attempt to release the chemicals, winds, vehicles overturned, characters blown away? Kate and her relationship with Jeb, the driver, saving her under the bridge, his being blown away?
5. Five years later, Kate New York, her work, observation of storms? Javi and his visit, his story, the Army, experiments, technology to observe twisters, three dimensions? His sympathy, his participation in the early experiment and surviving? Asking Kate to come for a week?
6. Kate, meeting Javi’s team, professional, academic backgrounds, Scott and his hostility to her, his criticisms of her? The connection with developers and the later consequences? The chasing of the tornadoes, Kate and her expertise, the encounter with Tyler, rivalries, her missing out and Javi’s response?
7. Tyler, tornado wrangler, big grin, cowboy, his team, vehicles, theyir not looking scientific, their passengers for tourism, the risks of the dares, the British journalist, observation, anxious (bounced around, later sick, his seatbelt)? The audience later realising that they were scientific and skilled despite appearances?
8. The tornado sequences, the dangers, the twisting, the air, the wind, blasting vehicles, the placing of the machines for the three-dimensional picture?
9. Kate, her background in the state, Tyler underestimating her, the later going to the rodeo? The awareness of the towns in danger, the decisions to go to help, the visuals of the twister attacking the towns, the people, the aftermath? The businessman and his exploiting the survivors, allegedly with financial help? Kate and a sense of disillusionment with Javi and his team?
10. The destruction of the rodeo, the audience enjoying it, Tyler and his saying he used to ride the bulls, the wind, trying to rescue people, the movie theatre, survival, Tyler holding onto his associate? Kate going out, the experiment with the chemicals? Their rescuing her?
11. Kate, distance from her mother, going home, settling in, her equipment, the model village, her looking at her notes? Tyler tracking her down, interest, explanations? Her mother inviting Tyler to stay? Their working together, working out the chemicals, rain precipitation, lessening the impact of the twister?
12. The final opportunity, the tornadoes, going out, the battering, explosions, the dangers?
13. The final success, the release of the chemicals, lessening the impact of the twister?
14. Kate to get back to New York, Tyler the airport and his truck and its ability to dig into the ground and stay, the credits sequences and the photos, the clips, the development of the plot, working together, success, romance…?

THE LESSON

UK, 2023, 104 minutes, Colour.

Richard E.Grant, Julie Delpy, Daryl McCormack, Stephen McMillan, Crispin Letts.

Directed by Alice Troughton.

There are certainly lessons in this drama but they are not the core. Rather, the characters involved are those who have to learn lessons – and do.

This is a British film, but set in the world of literature, creative writing, the screenplay divided into chapters. There is a prologue where a young man, Liam, Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) is being interviewed about his writing – and, this will be reprised in the epilogue, the tentatively having become the self-confidently.

Liam is talented, gets the opportunity to go to a large country estate owned by the celebrated writer, Sinclair (Richard E.Grant), successful, seen being interviewed, ultrasensitive, walking out, certainly a man of moods. At home is his French wife, Helene (Julie Delpy). She is supportive of her husband, and businesslike. But they have hired Liam as a tutor for their teenage son, Bertie (Stephen McMillan), somewhat erratic in his studies but being pressurised by his father for forthcoming exams and qualifications.

For a while, the audience will be with Liam, intrigued by the family situation, memories of a talented dead son who committed suicide in the mansion pool, Sinclair writing into the early hours of the morning, the seeming detachment of Helene, and a butler who is the essence of formality.

But, we become more and more antagonistic towards Sinclair, his whims, self-importance, ambiguous relationship with his wife, as well as mixed responses to Bertie and his studies, his writing, the ups and downs of his interactions with Liam.

Then, there is a surprise when Sinclair seems to be very friendly with Liam, even inviting him to read his latest manuscript. Liam invited to show his own manuscript to Sinclair. The results are rather disastrous and lead to quite some dramatic complications, Liam expressing positive criticism of the final part of the novel, Sinclair, upset, denouncing Liam as having no talent.

What follows is quite intriguing, the revelation of some truths, a liaison between Liam and Helene, and the raising of the issues about the dead son.

Very British in tone, interesting plot developments, and a lot of ironies in the lessons that the characters have to learn.

1. The title? The tutor and his coaching? The novelist and his teaching everyone lessons? And the experience of the tutor and its being a lesson for him?
2. A British film, British atmosphere, affluent family, the country mansion, interiors, subsidiary buildings, the grounds, the pool? The world of literature, author interviews, television interviews? The literary atmosphere? The musical score, the classics?
3. The prologue and the division into chapters, epilogue? The cumulative effect?
4. The interview with Liam, his novel, the interviewer asking the origins, the cut and the flashbacks, the epilogue and the final question and Liam’s response?
5. Sinclair, his being interviewed, his manner, humorous, condescending, superior, the influence of events in his work, upset, walking out? Replay of some of the scenes? And the theme that authors steal from great works?
6. Liam, his background, accent, qualifications, studies, agency, the tutor? Going to the Sinclair family? The encounter with Helene, contracts, nondisclosure and the later use of the contracts? The encounter with Bertie, his age, studies, talent, parents expectations, preparation for interviews and exams? Liam arriving, Ellis, the reception, the perfect butler, Liam and his accommodation outside the main building? Ellis, no familiarity?
7. The sessions with Bertie, outside, initial hostilities, the discussions, literature, the to-ing and fro-ing, Bertie gradually mellowing, the influence of his father, Liam and daring him to go into the pool?
8. Sinclair, returning home, working throughout the night, the windows, Liam observing, observing Sinclair and Liam working through the night, asleep? Observing the sexual encounter between Sinclair and Helene? The meals, formalities, the playing of the classics? Liam being excluded from some meals? Ellis and his preparing the coffee?
9. Liam the quotations, his memory, word associations, remembering further texts? In this important for the drama with Sinclair’s novel?
10. Felix, the dead son, prior to the family, the story of his suicide, drowning? His literary abilities? Silence about him?
11. Sinclair, his computer, Liam and his fixing the computer, Sinclair’s reliance on him, the conversations, the new novel, Sinclair giving Liam the manuscript to read, Liam and his own writings, Bertie taking his text, Liam asking Sinclair to read it? Liam’s return, his comments about the novel, the two thirds excellent, the failings of the final third? Sinclair’s angry response? Ridiculing Liam as having no talent?
12. Sinclair’s absence, Liam talking with Helene, his approach, the sexual encounter, the consequences?
13. Liam, his anger with Sinclair, supporting Bertie, Bertie’s absence in London? His deleting the manuscript from the computer? Taking the text? The discovery that Felix had written the first two parts? His father appropriating them? His anger about his own manuscript, tearing it up, throwing it in the pool?
14. Sinclair’s return, the disappearance of the manuscript, Helene’s reaction, Liam and his searching the computer? Sinclair driving away, the search? Return, Liam and the truth, the confrontation between the men, Liam outspoken, the struggle, falling into the lake, Sinclair turning his head and drowning himself?
15. Helene and the consequences, protecting everyone, Ellis and his retrieving the body, subservient to Helene, the scenario, the deaths, the police, Liam to leave, his packing, at the gate, the police arriving?
16. The epilogue, his having written a novel, the interviewer, looking into the gallery and Bertie present and encouraging him?